The 2013 Warrior Dash begins with a competitive wave at 7:30 a.m. Saturday with the last wave going off at 6 p.m. The same schedule is in place for Sunday.MLive.com file photo

GENESEE TOWNSHIP, MI -- The Warrior Dash continues to grow in popularity and this weekend’s races Saturday and Sunday, July27-28, saw registration numbers surpass 26,000. In that group are sure to be some first-timers, so we’ve put together a list of things you should know before heading to the E.A. Cummings Center in Genesee Township.

Even for those running the event for a second or third time, we offer some advice here that might help enhance your Warrior Dash experience:

Arrival

Warrior Dash officials recommend arriving an hour before your scheduled wave so that you can sign in, get your T-shirt, timing chip and be ready to go well before the starting gun goes off. There are close to 600 runners registered for each wave both Saturday and Sunday, so lines could be long. To save time, bring a signed copy of the Warrior Dash waiver form, available online, with you so you don’t have to get one there. An hour will give you plenty of time, but at the very least arriving a half hour in advance should be fine.

There is only one entrance open to the E.A. Cummings Center and that is off of Mt. Morris Road. Traffic likely will get backed up, especially during the early waves when more people will be coming to the course.

Parking

The only close available parking is on site at the E.A. Cummings Center. The charge is $10 per car and nearby spots do fill up quickly, so carpooling is advised. Also, and this may seem obvious, it’s a very good idea to remember where you parked. Finding your car in a field of hundreds is a time killer at this venue.

What to bring

The obvious items are a change of clothes, a towel, sandals or a different pair of shoes and a trash bag to store your mud-soaked attire. The Warrior Dash does have a bag and item check available on site if you want to bring things such as your cell phone and wallet before running, but it comes with a fee. You can freely go back and forth from the festival area to the parking lot with no charge, so leaving those items in your car also works.

The Warrior Dash does not allow outside food or beverages, other than a water bottle, but there are plenty of free water stations on site and multiple food and beer vendors. There is some seating and tables are available, but if you plan to stay after your race and enjoy the band and entertainment, bringing a lawn chair isn’t a bad idea.

Words of wisdom

If you’re considering wearing new or expensive running shoes, don’t. Find the oldest pair of sneakers that will hold together and lace them up. By the time your race is over, your shoes will be on their last legs -- and you can donate them at the end of the race to USAgain, an organization that delivers them to people in need around the world.

Also, duct tape them to your feet. The mud on the course is often thick and shoes do come off and can get lost for good. You don’t want that to happen at the two-mile mark.

Part of what makes the Warrior Dash such a unique event is following up all that exercise with high calorie foods and ice-cold beer. Get a turkey leg. They are outstanding.

Now, let’s talk about beer. Every of-age runner gets one free beer with their registration fee. This is redeemed by turning in your timing chip, so don’t throw that out. Even if you don’t want a beer, be a pal and pass it to someone else. Many will not follow this advice and instead will leave that ever-so-valuable free beer timing chip attached to their shoes that they throw in the donation pile. By mid-afternoon, that shoe pile could resemble a gold mine. An ice-cold, refreshing pilsner gold mine. There’s no shame in scrounging for some free beer. You deserve it.

Other than that, have fun and be safe.

Contact Ross at rmaghiel@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter @Maghielse.